That's a good 20 percent-plus off from the $1.9 million Patrick first put the house on the market in 2009. It's also a significant cut from his last foray into the market, when he listed it at $1.7 million before pulling it off the market.

And no, it's not the official governor's mansion. Massachusetts actually doesn't have one, the state never managing to get around to buying or building one. There's an interesting history here, though, with various proposals that went nowhere, including one in the 1950s that would have made the Endicott Estate in Dedham the official governor's mansion.

Back to our current governor's real estate dealings, Patrick bought his 1923 manse for $562,885 back in 1989 and now reportedly wants to downsize and move to something smaller.

Now Patrick still has his Western Massachusetts estate, so no worries, he won't exactly be homeless. But he still has a couple years left in his term and commuting from the Berkshires - especially since flying by state police helicopter would not be such a hot idea politically - could be a real drag.

So why not take his policy prescriptions to heart and buy a train station condo? Somehow, I doubt we will see that, but wouldn't it be refreshing for a change to see a classic limousine liberal trade in his mansion for the real estate equivalent of a Ford Fusion?

Still, after three years of trying to sell his Milton mansion, Patrick must be kicking himself over not taking the approach of fellow New England governor Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island.